9.2 Causes of WW2

• World War I ended

  1918
• Victorious Allied powers


  Britain, France, the USA and Italy
• Defeated central powers


  Germany, Austria–Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria
• Treaty of Versailles negotiations


  1. Tense negotiations

  2. Terms of surrender agreed
• The terms of the Treaty of Versailles were devastating for Germany, both politically and economically
• The terms of the Treaty of Versailles


  Created a weak and unstable economy in Germany with mass unemployment and severe rates of inflation
• The resentment among the German people was exploited by a number of German politicians during the 1920s and 1930s
• The Paris Peace Conference

  Alienated some of the Allies, such as Italy
• The conference


  Sowed the seeds for war in the Pacific
• Japan was permitted to keep Chinese territory it had seized from Germany during the war
• Japan's failure to ensure its equality with the other powers contributed to the breakdown in Japan's relations with the West, and the rise of Japanese nationalism and militarism
• Weimar Republic


  The new democratic government that took power in Germany after World War I
• Many Germans blamed the Weimar Republic for agreeing to the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, making it very unpopular with the people
• The Weimar Republic had serious economic problems to deal with, including the Great Depression in 1929
• Germany was one of the worst affected nations during the Great Depression, suffering mass unemployment, record price rises and a fall in the standard of living
• As a result of these tough economic and political conditions, a number of political movements and ideologies became popular in Europe and Asia, including communism, fascism and militarism
• Common features of these movements


  • The importance of the state over the individual
  • Support for a strong central leader
  • Public displays of power and authority, such as parades and rallies
  • Reliance on propaganda campaigns to promote the views of the party and suppress opposition
  • Belief in the importance of national pride
  • Ambition to increase the size of their territories
  • Need for force in the struggle against foreign enemies
• Nazi Party


  The National Socialist German Workers' Party that formed in Germany in 1921
• Nazism


  • Strong and charismatic leadership of Adolf Hitler
  • Ideology built on German nationalism, anti-communism, antisemitism, and the idea that ethnic Germans were racially superior
  • Belief in the 'stab-in-the-back myth'
• Nazi Party's attempt to seize power in 1923


  1. Beer Hall Putsch

  2. Failed uprising

  3. Hitler and other ringleaders received short prison sentences
• In November 1932, the Nazi Party received 37.3 per cent of votes, more than any other party but not a majority
• In 1933 Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany after negotiating a deal with other leaders
• The Third Reich under Hitler


  • Little or no personal freedom
  • People encouraged to report on friends, neighbours and even family members suspected of disloyalty
  • Propaganda and large well-organised rallies used to convince citizens of the legitimacy of the regime and to silence critics
  • Severe punishments, often involving torture and internment in concentration camps
  • Jews and others associated with free thinking were targets of Nazi persecution
• Ceremonies, uniforms, symbols, marches, music and rallies


  • Used by the Nazis to create a sense of belonging and show strength
• There was a particular attempt to gain the support of young people through organisations such as Hitler Youth
• The huge Nuremberg rallies held in the 1930s played an important role in gaining popular support for the Third Reich